plural volleys
1
a(1)
: the flight of the ball (as in volleyball or tennis) or its course before striking the ground
also
: a return of the ball before it touches the ground
(2)
: a kick of the ball in soccer before it rebounds
(3)
: the exchange of the shuttlecock in badminton following the serve
b
: a flight of missiles (such as arrows)
c
: simultaneous discharge of a number of missile weapons
d
: one round per gun in a battery fired as soon as a gun is ready without regard to order
2
a
: a burst or emission of many things or a large amount at once
received a volley of angry letters
b
: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center
volleyed; volleying
1
: to propel (an object) while in the air and before touching the ground
especially
: to hit (a tennis ball) on the volley
2
: to discharge in or as if in a volley
1
: to make a volley
specifically
: to volley an object of play (as in tennis)
2
: to become discharged in or as if in a volley
volleyer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of volley in a Sentence
Noun
The tank was hit by a volley of bullets.
She was overwhelmed by a volley of questions from the press.
Verb
She volleyed the shot over the net.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 June 2024
Like a week-long pickleball match, two neighbors volley leaves back and forth from their lawns — yet no one ever wins.
—David Vaina, Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2024
Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024
His presence had an almost immediate impact, heading the ball down to Depay who took the ball brilliantly on his thigh and torso before volleying acrobatically past keeper Patrick Pentz.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for volley 
Noun
Four minutes later another corner from Gressel was cleared by a Nashville defender, and the ball fell to Alba, who displayed his world-class technique, chesting it down to his left foot outside the box and launching a perfect volley into the corner of the net.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 June 2024
Like a week-long pickleball match, two neighbors volley leaves back and forth from their lawns — yet no one ever wins.
—David Vaina, Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2024
Verb
Instead of the usual approach of the top two artists simply putting on their own sets of music — and perhaps rotating who gets to close the show each night — these two iconic R&B trios completely sewed their sets together and constantly volleyed the spotlight between them.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024
His presence had an almost immediate impact, heading the ball down to Depay who took the ball brilliantly on his thigh and torso before volleying acrobatically past keeper Patrick Pentz.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for volley
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'volley.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near volley
Cite this Entry
“Volley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volley. Accessed 14 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
volley
1 of 2 noun
vol·ley
ˈväl-ē 
plural volleys
1
: a group of missiles (as arrows or bullets) passing through the air
2
: a firing of a number of weapons (as rifles) at the same time
3
: a bursting forth of many things at once
a volley of praise
4
: the act of volleying
volley
2 of 2 verb
volleyed; volleying
1
: to shoot in a volley
2
: to hit an object (as a ball) while it is in the air before it touches the ground
Medical Definition
volley
noun
vol·ley
ˈväl-ē
plural volleys
: a burst of simultaneous or immediately sequential nerve impulses passing to an end organ, synapse, or center
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